Canadian manufacturing sales unexpectedly fell 0.4 per cent in October, pulled down by weak sales of autos and other transportation equipment, data from Statistics Canada indicated on Friday.

Analysts in a Reuters poll had forecast a 0.8 per cent increase from September. Sales fell in eight of 21 industries, representing 56 percent of the manufacturing sector, while volumes dropped by 1.5 per cent.

Motor vehicle sales slumped by 6.7 per cent, thanks partly to shutdowns of some assembly plants that cut production of autos. Sales in the other transportation equipment category, which includes bicycles, all-terrain vehicles and tanks, plummeted by 37.2 per cent.

In a more promising sign for the economy, new orders rose by 5.3 per cent, the most since an 8.0 per cent boost in April 2016, on increased demand for aerospace products and parts as well as primary and fabricated metal products.

Inventories rose by 1.6 per cent to a record $74.8 billion, with the largest gains in the transportation equipment, primary metals and machinery industries.